Three ‘green cities’ shortlisted for AIPH Award
The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) have announced the three shortlisted entries, including two from Australia, selected by the Youth Jury from the list of 21 finalists in the AIPH World Green City Awards 2024.
Each of these cities stands a chance of being named the winner of the AIPH Youth Award for their inspiring urban greening initiatives. The AIPH Youth Award is new to the 2024 edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards. The award is set to inspire the next generation to actively participate in the global green city movement by enabling stronger connections between cities and their youth populations.
A dedicated Youth Jury voted to select the award winner through a two-stage judging process. After the first stage, the jury had reviewed 21 finalists’ entries developed by Youth Jury applicants; the three shortlisted entries were considered to be most aligned with the award criteria.
“Reviewing the AIPH Youth Award entries was like seeing hope in action. For me, it was a powerful reminder that when we bring young minds and nature together, magic happens. These projects are not just about trees and parks; they’re about empowering young people to lead the charge towards a greener, brighter future,” said Muntasyir Al Wafi, Student/Program Coordinator at Bahcesehir University/Urban Minds and 2024 Youth Jury member.
The three shortlisted entries were:
- Green Factor Tool – City of Melbourne, Australia
- Rita Lee Park – Rio Olympic Park Legacy – Rio de Janeiro City Hall, Brazil
- Climate Change Strategy – City of Joondalup, Australia
Melbourne’s Green Factor tool can inspire the youth to solve climate issues by providing them with a globally-accessible resource and tangible data that strengthens urban greening concepts. The tool empowers young people to actively engage in understanding the benefits of green infrastructure, including how urban greening can provide a multitude of ecosystem-services. It encourages ownership of environmental design and promotes environmental stewardship of the built environment. Melbourne’s Green Factor tool promotes education and awareness about the importance of green infrastructure and engages the youth to consider the performance of their greening proposals. Since its creation, the tool has been employed in undergraduate landscape architectural studios and urban horticultural research to innovate designs and quantitatively analyse vegetation performance in field ecology.
The City of Joondalup entry supports young people to embrace healthy and active lifestyles by providing green urban environments for them to undertake social, recreational and sporting activity. This includes playgrounds, parks, skate parks, sporting grounds, natural areas and more. Young people are encouraged to volunteer and care for the environment through the city’s Adopt a Coastline/Bushland Program. The city invites young people to have a say in their future by engaging with them through targeted forums. The city ensures that plants and trees are a focus in involved areas to provide natural shade and amenity; the city even upcycles trees that have been removed for safety reasons as nature play items in playspaces. The City’s Adopt and Coastline and Bushland programs aim to raise young people’s awareness and appreciation of the ecological values of the natural environment. Young people gain a sense of ownership of their city as well as environmental management skills such as weeding and planting.
In Rio de Janiero the Olympic Way at Barra da Tijuca is undergoing a transformation into a public legacy – the Rita Lee Park. This revitalisation project includes a sports complex, children’s play areas, climbing wall, and a skatepark, and a green area restoration with native flora. This project is turning the Olympic Way into a green, sports, and leisure destination for all the population. This legacy of the Olympic Games extends beyond infrastructure to be a commitment to shaping a greener, more engaging future for our youth. Rita Lee Park also strengthens the youth with recreational, sporting and cultural activities that celebrate Rio’s outdoor greenery. With a palette of vibrant colors throughout the floor with different layouts, we seek to bring fun to the space that has organic beds with dense vegetation creating small forests.
Each of the shortlisted cities will receive a certificate at the 2024 AIPH World Green City Awards Ceremony on 25 September this year at the Future Green City World Congress in the City of Utrecht, the Netherlands. The winner of the AIPH Youth Award will there be announced and awarded a trophy.
Bill Hardy, Chair of the AIPH Green City Committee said each shortlisted city is demonstrating that the voice of young people is critical to the success of urban greening initiatives. “After all, it is the youth of today who will inherit the cities we are building!”
Further information: https://aiph.org/green-city/